Non-ferrous metals

They are metals that don’t contain iron. They have a lot of uses but they are often expensive because they are more difficult to extract.

Aluminum

It’s the most abundant metal in the earth’s crust and after steel, is the most widely used of all the metals, today. Properties: Silvery white color, light, highly resistant to corrosion, soft, malleable, and ductile, low density, a good conductor of both electricity and heat. Uses high voltage power lines, planes, cars, bicycles, light metalwork. roofing and windows and doors units, decoration, kitchen tools, and drink cans.

Copper

It’s a pure metal that is the world’s third most important metal, in terms of volume of consumption. Properties: a reddish-brown metal, ductile and moderately strong, very good conductor of electricity and heat, It corrodes very easily. Uses electrical wire, telephone lines, domestic hot water cylinder and pipes, car radiator core, decoration, architecture.

Brass

The term “brass” covers a wide range of copper-zinc alloys. Properties: It’s gold in color. It has very good anticorrosive properties and it’s resistant to wear. Uses: Handicrafts, jewelry, plumbing, capacitors, and turbine.

Magnesium

It’s shiny and silvery-white. Properties: It’s very light, soft, and malleable, but not very ductile. It reacts very strongly with oxygen. Uses Fireworks, aerospace industry, car industry.

Tin

It’s a shiny white metal. Properties: It doesn’t oxidize at room temperatures, it’s very soft. Uses Soft-soldering, tin foil, and a tin plate.

Lead

It’s a silvery-grey metal. Properties: Soft and malleable. It’s toxic when its fumes are inhaled. Uses: Batteries, it’s used as an additive in glass for giving hardness and weight.

Bronze

It’s an alloy of copper and tin. Properties: High resistance to wear and corrosion. Uses Boat propellers, filters, church bells, sculpture, bearings, and cogs.

Zinc

It’s a bluish-grey shiny metal. Properties: Anticorrosive, not very hard, weak at low temperatures. Uses Roofing, plumbing because it stops corrosion.

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